What's So Different About Terressentials?

Nowadays it seems like everybody’s selling you natural and organic body care. As you cruise the aisles of your big natural supermarket, or of your health food store, or the pages of your favorite “organic” or “natural” lifestyle magazine, or boutiques in the mall, what do you see? Scores of companies telling you, or implying, that their products are all-natural, organic, free from questionable or dangerous chemicals, good for you, good for the planet.

We hate to be the ones to break it to you, but most of them are trying to hoodwink you. Yes, even some of the ones that you may have grown to trust...the ones who seem to be so warm and fuzzy and earthy and caring. We’re going to let you in on all of the tricks of the trade. But first, we’ll tell you about Terressentials, since that’s what you came here for.

Terressentials’ co-founder, Diana, nearly died of cancer back in the 80’s—a type that’s been firmly linked to exposure to man-made chemicals. Her partner, Jim, the other co-founder, was with her every step of the way, in the chemotherapy ward, and at home. Diana’s fine now. But she really hates chemicals. Passionately.

That’s how Terressentials got its start. In the beginning, Diana and Jim discovered a startling fact: we absorb more toxins through our skin and via inhalation than through the food that we eat. They became determined to find safe personal care items and had a very hard time finding body care products that met their standards: no synthetic chemicals. They scrutinized every ingredient with a chemical dictionary in their hands. And they were shocked at what they found. In product after product, even the ones that claimed to be so wholesome:synthetic chemicals.Detergents. Foam boosters. Thickeners. Emulsifiers. Preservatives. And on and on. But the manufacturers were very crafty. Unless you were an expert, you wouldn’t know that they were trying to put one over on you. Out of sheer desperation of the necessity for chemical-free body care products, Jim and Diana immersed themselves in research, and developed their own line of products—ones that they could be proud of. Because they were truly natural—real and organic plant oils and extracts, clays, true castile soaps and pure distilled water.

The bottom line is that you won’t findanyingredients in Terressentials products that wouldn’t be allowed in the making of a certified organic food. We use certified organic cocoa butter and certified organic coconut oil, all certified organic essential oils. Why doesn’t everyone else? It all boils down to money. Yours. Other companies want to take as much of your money as possible, giving you as little of what you expect—true organic—as they can get away with. Take a look at ouringredients pagesto see what we’re made of—and not made of. Incidentally, the column of chemical ingredients that wedon’tuse came from companies that boast that they make products made only of the finest natural ingredients. What does that tell you?

Just so you know, there’s no law in the United States that says you can’t put chemicals in a body care product marketed as “organic.” There really should be. Even now that the USDA National Organic Program standards have become law as of October 21st, they don’t apply to body care. Most people aren’t aware of that. Did you know that in May, the USDA announced that the National Organic Program would apply to all product categories, not just foods? Guess what happened. Lobbyists for personal care corporations descended upon the USDA en masse. They didn’t want to be truly organic. There wasonecompany, though, that went to the offices of the USDA National Organic Program in Washington, to demonstrate their total support for true organic integrity:Terressentials.But the other guys found a loophole in the law - one little line that let them off the hook. Now they’re driving their tractor trailers filled with synthetics through that loophole. What do you think of that?